Betsy DeVos Is Not The Woman That The Democratic Party Has Made Her Out To Be

Many Americans had never heard of Betsy DeVos before she became the Secretary of Education for the United States. During her confirmation hearings, her opposition made it appear as if she had no idea what she was doing. There have been a few other incidences since she has come to Washington that have also made her appear as if she will be a quiet player in the politics of one of the greatest nations in the world. For those who are closest to the woman and for those who have been living in the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan, or in the state of Michigan for that matter, this is completely opposite to the political reformer and fighter that they have grown to become more familiar with.

As a philanthropist, Betsy DeVos has done so much for her home-state of Michigan where she was born and raised. She attended a private Christian High School in Holland, Michigan when she was younger and went on to graduate from Calvin College, a private college, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Economics. She also became very involved in politics on the campus and has continued to be involved with the politics in Michigan. She was a local precinct delegate for the Michigan Republican party, and she also served as the Chairwoman of the Michigan Republican party for four years. Her political opponents in Michigan have called her a fierce opponent and a woman who is as persistent as she is determined. They also know her as a reformer who has continually worked to see educational choice put into the hands of American families.

While many democrats usually have nothing good to say about their opposition, that is not the case when it comes to Betsy DeVos. It is true that most Democrats don’t agree with a lot of her stances of political issues but they do respect the woman. The President of the American Federation of Teachers, Randi Weingarten, who mostly supports Democrats, acknowledged that a lot of people tend to underestimate Betsy DeVos. He commented that while she may appear to be plain-spoken and down to earth, she is also a dangerous political opponent to face.

One of the mountains that Betsy DeVos has had to climb is the fact that a lot of her opposition believes she is against public schools. She has already addressed some of their concerns by saying that she expects most American children will continue to attend public schools. On the other hand, she has also been very forward about her support of private schools and charter schools and has, in fact, fought for most of her life so that families in the United States can send their kids off to a school they choose. In Grand Rapids, Michigan, she supported the Potter’s House, which is a K-12 Christian school that is highly diverse. She has also supported numerous other private and charter schools in the state as well as other states. It is her mission to put the choice of where kids receive their education in the hands of their parents, and many see this as a good thing.